The Lava Witch, page 24
“She must have suspected Jody and the rest of you all along,” said Kali, watching him closely.
“Possibly so.” He laughed. “But it’s all just a setback. Jody and Vance will get the password out of Maya’s silly brother.”
“Charlie’s safe. And Vance has a bullet hole in him,” said Walter. “So you can tell us the rest of the story from your jail cell. It’s time to go.”
“And leave all my beautiful work behind to spend the rest of my life in a prison?” Byron looked around. He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
Kali’s apprehension grew. She needed to keep him talking until he was out of range of the stove. She looked at the burners, where whatever was in the large glass pots had risen to a frantic boil.
“Why the drugs, Byron?” asked Kali. “You said you’re going to make a fortune off the patent for Maya’s invention.”
“Sure, eventually,” he said. “In the meantime, I’m making a fortune off the weakness of others.”
“Are you using the Wela Wela Cave in Honolulu as a distribution center? Or do you have Vance doing that for you? Maybe that’s how you control him—using him as your errand boy.”
Byron laughed. “Control him? Stage direct him, maybe. But Vance is his own unique animal, as you must have realized. All wrapped up in his magic and his legends.” Byron looked suddenly serious. “The distribution is strictly local. But I think he actually enjoyed killing that girl. At least, it seemed that way, from where I stood. Vance is the one who dreamed up a way to do it that would scare people away from this part of the forest so as to help keep our little laboratory secret. And Jody was only too happy to help.”
“Along with Gloria and O’Connor?”
“Gloria?” Byron shook his head, amused. “She doesn’t have a clue about what’s been going on right underneath her perky little nose. And we knew that Davos wasn’t brave enough to be part of our meth project. He would have been a liability. He’s just wrapped up in getting that patent secured for the new sensor. If he knew about our pharmaceutical enterprise, he might have turned us in, so we kept it from him. The information, and the profits.”
He looked around and sighed. Then he moved again. Kali and Walter each realized at the same instant what it was that he planned to do. In a flash, he moved and blocked the stove. Neither Kali nor Walter could take a shot without risking hitting the bubbling concoctions on the stove. Byron leapt to the side, deeper into the darkness of the tunnel as it dove further into the mountain. As he fled, he kicked out with his foot, aiming for the table holding the gas stove. He struck the edge. One leg of the table crumbled, and the pots began to slide on a trajectory toward the stone lava floor.
Instinctively, Kali flexed, prepared to follow him.
“Don’t!” Walter shouted. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled hard. “Turn around and run! Run!”
They did, sprinting for all they were worth on the uneven rock footing, careening into the solid walls, slipping as they made the first turn away from the lab and back into the darkness of the tube. Kali felt the air around her body contract, then expand with a violent, furious energy. She knew that Walter was there, somewhere close in the blackness, but there was no time to say anything. There was only a sudden lift, as if gravity had retreated, followed by a mighty, crashing boom. Then came a complete and terrible failure of light, and Kali lost track of where the tunnel ended, and where she began.
The blast hurled Kali and Walter from the inner tunnel to the entrance of the lava tube. They landed facedown in the scrabble lining the floor, their breath knocked out of them. Kali pressed her hands against the rock and slowly pushed herself into a crouching position. She looked for Walter, and saw him spread on the ground a few feet away, motionless. As she crawled forward to his side, she heard the sound of the rock above her and behind her groaning, knowing it was a matter of seconds before the entrance to the tube collapsed.
“Walter!” she yelled, shaking him vigorously. He moaned, rolling over onto his back. “What the hell . . . ?”
“Explosion,” she gasped. Then she added, “Lava tube.”
The words registered. He looked up, and a blast of dust shot downward from a widening crack in the curved ceiling above him.
“We’ve got to get out,” Kali said, her voice nearly drowned out by the sound of rock crashing in behind them.
She stood, legs shaking, helping Walter onto his feet. He limped forward a few steps, and his right leg buckled beneath him. There was movement at the opening of the tube, and Hara was suddenly there.
“Captain!” he said. He looked at Kali, noting that her face was covered in dust and blood.
“I’m okay,” she said. “Help Walter.”
The rock groaned again, and Hara grasped Walter under his arm from one side while Kali supported him from the other. They pulled him forward, past the entrance, past the first stand of trees and pile of boulders. There was a colossal cracking sound, and together they dove behind the rocks as the lava tube collapsed upon itself, the grass-covered earth above it caving in, leaving nothing but a deep impression and a blast of debris settling in its wake.
For a moment, no one said anything.
“Was there anyone in there, sir?” asked Hara, breaking the silence. He stared at the place where the cave’s opening had once been.
“There was,” said Walter, coughing. “A very bad man making drugs.”
“Not anymore,” said Kali. She wiped a streak of blood from her face. “And I’m pretty sure not ever again.”
CHAPTER 41
Hindered by the rain and the slippery footing, Kali, Walter, and Hara finally made it to the path. Walter was limping badly. Both he and Kali were dazed and bruised, and covered by a fair amount of mud. Kali and Hara took turns supporting Walter on the narrow trail. They half slid, half scrambled back down the mountain to the parking lot and finally reached their vehicles.
“Hara’s car or my Jeep?” Kali asked, aware of how much Walter’s leg hurt.
“I’ll go with you,” said Walter. He turned to Hara. “Stay in touch the whole way. We’ll go ahead. The Jeep has higher ground clearance, and if the roads wash out I’d rather we were in front of you so you don’t get caught.”
Hara nodded. He helped Walter into the passenger side of the Jeep, then ran to his cruiser. Kali waited until she saw his headlights come on, then started the engine and edged out onto the main road. There was already about two inches of floodwater on the road, and she could see the accumulated rainwater moving in a steady current as it swept across the paved surface.
“This is bad,” she said.
By now the rain was coming down in sheets. Walter radioed the main station and reported the explosion. He requested that Davos O’Connor and Jody Phillips be picked up as soon as possible and taken into custody.
“I wonder what being arrested for conspiracy, grand theft, and accessory to murder will do for O’Connor’s precious reputation,” he muttered as he fiddled with the Jeep’s radio system.
“Drug charges, too. He had to know what Byron was up to.”
The radio crackled, and Hara’s voice came across.
“We’ve got alerts for road washouts from here to the bridge, sir,” he said. “The ground on the slope along the highway has been tagged as highly unpredictable. There’s a small landslide just on the other side of the road to the station.”
They hit a bump in the road as the tires struck a downed branch that had been obscured by the mud and water. Kali glanced at Walter, who was gripping his leg just above the knee.
“Sorry,” she said. “There’s a lot of debris on the road.”
He scowled at her. “You need to replace the shocks and struts. Really, the whole suspension. And the seat covers, which are covered with dog hair. And this communication system. The sound is terrible.” They hit another bump. “Although I guess it would be a fitting wrap-up to a really awful day if your relic of a car decides this is when it finally wants to fall apart.”
Kali didn’t reply. Ahead they could see the headlights of another car moving slowly along the road toward them. Water sprayed out from the wheel wells as the Jeep navigated the flooded surface. As the other car became more visible, Walter pulled himself upright in his seat and pointed at the oncoming vehicle.
“Look!” he said. “That’s her car coming toward us. Vintage Mustang, cherry red.”
“Whose car? What are you talking about?” asked Kali.
“Jody Phillips. That’s her car, remember? I walked her out to the parking lot when she came in to help with the computer program.”
Kali slowed as she drew closer to the Mustang. The other vehicle swerved slightly and slowed. It was clear the driver was having difficulty maintaining control on the flooded road.
“What does she think she’s doing?” asked Kali.
“Heading up to the prayer hut to help Vance try to force information from Charlie that he probably doesn’t even have.”
“Tell Hara to block the road behind us. I’m going to pass her, then box her in.”
In a minute, they’d drawn even with the red car. Kali could see Jody huddled over the wheel. She seemed unaware of who was in the Jeep as Kali and Walter slowly passed her. In her rearview mirror, Kali could see that Hara had turned his car across the roadway, preventing her from passing. As she watched, he flipped on his rooftop flashers.
Once she was about thirty feet past the Mustang, Kali slowed nearly to a stop, then turned and maneuvered the Jeep around. She pulled up close behind Jody’s car, doing her best to block her from the other direction.
There was no movement from inside the car, and nowhere for it to go. They sat for a moment, watching.
“You stay put,” said Kali, reaching for the door handle. “Tell Hara to use the speaker to tell her to step out of her car, and for him to approach at the same time as I do—and to do it carefully. We don’t know if she has a weapon.”
Hara’s voice came over the car’s megaphone, instructing Jody to step out of the vehicle. There was no response.
“I’m going in,” said Kali. In front of her, she watched as Hara exited the cruiser, gun drawn. She pulled out her own firearm and edged out of the Jeep, moving quickly to the back of Jody’s car. She couldn’t see anything through the windows.
Without warning, the engine of the Mustang roared and began to reverse. Kali jumped out of the way and watched in amazement as the back tires slipped onto the soft verge, then spun and moved forward onto the road, angled for the front of the Jeep. The Mustang fishtailed on the wet pavement and sped forward, hitting the opposite shoulder in the narrow space in front of Kali’s car, smashing the Jeep’s headlight. The Mustang raced away through the rising water, back in the direction it had come.
Hara ran up, splashing through the rising water. “There’s no way she can maintain that speed in these conditions,” he said. “I’ll call for a roadblock.”
“I’m going to try to catch up,” said Kali. “Follow me, but be careful—I’ve already got an injured Walter. I can’t have you get hurt as well.”
She climbed back into the Jeep, turning carefully.
“Are you going to add criminal charges about your headlight?” asked Walter, tightening his seat belt.
“You bet I am.” She put the Jeep into gear. “But this is where my four-wheel drive trumps the showy sports car and the high-tech cruiser. You’ll need to hold on.”
The Mustang was already out of sight ahead along the winding road. Kali drove as fast as she dared, fighting the urge to go faster. She listened to Hara as he gave an update. A roadblock was being put in place at the next intersection six miles ahead.
There was no need. As they rounded a curve, they could see the other car’s taillights, but the car was stopped. The road ahead of it had disappeared beneath a giant wall of mud. The hillside had caved in and blocked the road. Jody had driven into it, and the Mustang was trapped in the deep, viscous soil and uprooted foliage that covered the surface.
Kali pulled to a stop and waited. They could see Jody struggling to climb through the passenger side window, which had narrowed to an impossible width beneath the crumpled hood and roof of the Mustang.
“Does she think that even if she can make herself small enough to get through that space that she can run away from us on foot?” asked Walter.
“I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but it looks to me like she’s stuck in that window.”
It was true. As Hara drew up behind the Jeep, Kali got out and approached the Mustang. Jody’s head, arms, and upper torso were outside of the car, exposed to the pounding rain.
From the corner of one eye, Kali saw Hara helping Walter out of the Jeep. Walter limped over, leaning on Hara’s shoulder.
“I don’t want to miss this,” he said.
The three of them stood watching as Jody struggled in the window.
“Would you like some help?” asked Kali.
Jody seemed uncertain of how to respond. “I didn’t realize the road was covered,” she said, breathlessly. “Now I realize why you had it blocked the other way . . . I’m sorry I didn’t pay attention. If you could just help me . . .”
“Would you be kind enough to get the pry bar out of the Jeep?” Kali asked Hara. “We should offer assistance to this citizen in distress.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, hurrying to the Jeep.
Kali stepped into the mud covering the roadway, drawing closer to Jody. “Looks like you were heading toward the park trails, Jody. It’s not really the best hiking weather, is it?”
“I . . . well, I had the idea that maybe Charlie had gone up that way,” Jody offered. “He’s obsessing again about Maya . . . and now that he knows where she was found, I figured that’s where he’d go . . . It only seemed right that I should try to help you find him—I knew the weather was turning bad, but I thought I could get up there before it really hit.” She looked at them, trying to push the wet hair out of her face while holding on to the doorframe.
“Right,” said Kali. “I suppose you thought you could take shelter in the lava tube if necessary.”
Jody looked at her sharply, comprehending. She began to struggle again, but Hara walked up with the pry bar. Walter nodded to him, and Hara carefully examined the damage to the car door.
“Stay still, miss. I’m going to pry the top of the window frame open if I can.”
She clung to the door, and Hara inserted the pry bar near the top of the window, using his weight to wrench it upright. As he did so, the door sprang free, and Jody pulled herself back into the interior. There was no expression on her face.
“Shame about this car,” said Walter. “You’ll have to leave it here, but we’ll give you a ride.” He turned to Kali. “Guess we’ll have to take the long way around.”
“Guess we will,” she said. She turned to Jody. “Step out of the car. Right now. I’m tired of being out here in the rain and mud.”
Jody climbed out. Kali moved up next to her, holding her handcuffs.
“Did you get her to meet you at the supermarket down in Kahului?” asked Kali. “What did you tell her—that you were there to help her with the samples, and that the two of you would take your flashy car?”
“So what if I did?” Jody hissed. Her voice was filled with bitterness. “You didn’t have to be around her, you know. But I guess the gifted, beautiful girl isn’t so smart or pretty anymore.”
“Maybe,” said Kali. “It sure sounds like you’re still jealous, though.”
Jody’s face was a stone.
“Face the vehicle,” Kali said. “Jody Phillips, you are under arrest as an accomplice in the murder of Maya Holmes, as an accessory in the manufacturing of illicit substances, and a whole bunch of other things, too.” She turned to Hara. “Please inform Miss Phillips of her rights and assist her into the back of your cruiser. We’ll be right behind you on the road.” She looked at Jody. “I’m afraid you’re in for a bumpy ride.”
CHAPTER 42
Nearly three weeks had passed since the arrest of the people connected to the death of Maya Holmes and the theft of her technology. The rain had finally worn itself out, and the day was warm and clear. On the far side of the lanai at Kali’s house, Walter manned the grill, wrapped in an old chef’s apron, singing as he cooked. Nina and their daughters were in the front yard, putting out bowls of potato salad and pineapple coleslaw—except for Suki, the youngest, who was enthusiastically chasing Hilo up and down the slope leading to the sea.
From the shade of the lanai, Elvar watched Suki in amazement. He stood next to Kali, gripping a large plastic container filled with iced chocolate cupcakes that Birta had prepared.
“I’ve never seen a child with so much . . . energy,” he said.
Kali laughed. “Yeah, and that’s how she is pre-sugary-dessert. Wait till you see what she’s capable of after she’s had a couple of those cupcakes.”
“After I eat a couple of cupcakes, I generally want to take a nap,” said Elvar, still watching as the small girl and the enormous dog took turns leading the way up and down the lawn.
Hilo slowed to a jog, then stopped in the shade of a tree, folding his legs beneath himself. He sank to the ground. As he rolled over onto his side, Suki caught up with him and began to dance around him in circles.
“She’s even got Hilo tired out.” Elvar’s voice was full of admiration. “Look at him. He’s clearly calling for a time-out.”
He was right. Hilo flailed his legs as Suki dashed around him in a circle, calling his name in her high-pitched voice. As they watched, she sat down on the ground beside the dog. He rolled over onto his back, and Suki began to tickle his stomach, laughing in glee as his legs twitched in response.
“Elvar, can you give me a hand?” called Walter. “I need you to keep an eye on this batch of burgers while I set up the last table.”
